Split Decision

On most counts, Brosia’s a winner

By Danny Brody

Gazpacho Caprese with fresh mozzarella, reduced balsamic vinegar, olio verde and basil. Photo by Richard M. Brooks

The problem with Brosia isn’t the setting. It has a gorgeous, mosaic courtyard with old oak trees, lots of space between tables to stretch out, a lounge area with cushioned bentwood chairs and couches, colored glass lamps on the tables and the open sky overhead. The interior is pretty slick, too, with long mirrors and vaulted ceilings.

The problem with Brosia isn’t the service. Informed and unobtrusive, many of the staff have followed either the manager or the chef from previous establishments (when I lit up a Havana, the waiter replaced the cigarette ashtray with a large cigar ashtray).

The problem with Brosia is not the bar service, where they will handcraft a muddled-fresh strawberry and basil vodka cocktail or even make you a Ramos Gin Fizz with Plymouth Gin (although I prefer fresh sour to bottled).

The problem with Brosia is not the wine list. A bottle of sparkling Spanish Cava from Segura Viudas goes for just $24, and there are three other wines under $30, although the reds are oddly California-heavy for a pan-Mediterranean restaurant. There is also the Col d’Orcia 2002 Brunello di Montalcino for $98 — not a great year, but just about twice the retail price, and a nice splurge.

The problem with Brosia is not even the food, especially the Catalan Shrimp and Clams, with the chorizo and garlic-laden broth reduced with sherry down to a rich sauce, which just begs for an order of foamy and cheesy Creamy Polenta. 

No, the problem with Brosia can be summed up in two words: Michael Schwartz. The chef-owner of the Design District’s deliriously successful Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink has set the bar so high, especially for restaurants opening anywhere near him (Brosia is located one plaza away from Michael’s), that diners may ask, “Why eat anywhere else?” And while there is certainly room for plenty of competition in the near-barren Double D, anyone who opens here needs to provide a creative counterpoint to Michael’s classy ambiance, relatively inexpensive but cutting-edge menu, and generous wine list (note the short-lived tenure of Michael Jacobs at Grass).

Brosia comes close to the standard on most accounts, but misses on others.

The chef, Artur Artiles, has a pedigree that includes Chispa, Mundo and Norman’s. The cooking is often stunning, as in the appetizer Rabbit Stiffado, a meaty portion of the little fellow served in a sweet, aromatic reduction enhanced by little pieces of feta cheese, toasted walnuts and a couple of pearl onions. It’s a truly rustic dish, and the sauce goes well with the Creamy Polenta. Some bread might be nice here, although, either way, you will have to hand-carry the rabbit to your mouth to rip the last bits of flesh from the bone with your teeth. The aforementioned Catalan Style Shrimp and Clams have some well-cooked shrimp and fresh little-necks, and the Moroccan Steamed Mussels, with fragrant herbs in a coconut curry broth, unexpectedly delight. The grilled bread accompaniments go fast, and you will want more for mopping purposes. The Piri-Piri Shrimp, four grilled shrimp served with a small ramekin of cucumber sambal, are done right, but are really nothing extraordinary, and the cucumber sambal is basically chopped-up, lightly marinated cucumber.

Of the entrées, the Grilled Pork Tenderloin is the standout, especially at just $15. Served over a bed of braised greens, which absorb some of the juices from the pink meat, the crunchy crust adds texture to the juicy, tender pork. The caperberries, cornichons, Dijon mustard demi-glace and a pool of what tastes like sweet, homemade applesauce are all traditional, yet somehow reworked pork-partners. You’ll want to eat everything.

The 12-ounce Grilled New York Strip (the most expensive entrée at $26), however, didn’t appear to have made weight for that night’s dinner, and the overcooked, dry meat had to be sent back and replaced with a medium-rare one. The steak was not overly flavorful, and a few bits of gristle had to be overcome, but it was cooked right the second time. Something other than the few drops of “herb oil drizzle” might have helped, too. The blue cheese and caramelized onion-stuffed piquillo peppers that come with the steak were oddly bland, and the peppers, although I was assured they were roasted in-house, tasted like they came from a jar. 

Perhaps it would be best, as I did on several occasions, both at lunch and dinner, to order a couple of the great appetizers, glom up some of the gratis white bean puree with pita chips and split the pork tenderloin. Add some crisp, salty, bistro fries (although why a Med-focused restaurant would serve them only with a Heinz-like ketchup is beyond me), or the Creamy Polenta, and you’ve eaten more than enough.

I’d also like to go out on a limb and recommend ordering the flan. The candied orange peel and the drops of almond extract give a subtle twist to an old dessert, although $7 is a bit much. Have a glass of the Zolo Torrontes ($7, probably about what they paid for the whole bottle), enjoy the cool night air and keep in mind: Restaurants do not exist in a vacuum. They must keep their standards very high to win the fight for our dollars. Brosia gets a split decision.